The mere act of reaching out to residents deters crime and builds long-lasting relationships in the community, he said. He’s been encouraging officers to be approachable, talk with children, even go into businesses and see who’s working.

Ward also has a few new ideas as well, including the possibility of starting a Neighborhood Watch program.

“They’re going to see things that we’re not going to see,” Ward said of residents.

The department has three part-time officers, two full-time officers, and five reserve officers, all with multiple years of experience. The members are deputized, which means they can venture outside of the city limits to help the Midland County Sheriff’s Office on calls if needed, Ward said.

“Coleman experiences all the things that other places do,” from assaults, to drunken driving and more, he said.

Ward began his education with the intent of going into teaching, then switched to law enforcement after meeting a friend who was a deputy with the Clare County Sheriff’s Office. He hired into the Clare County Sheriff’s Office days after his 2002 graduation from police academy.

His career includes about nine years with the Clare Police Department, time with the Beaverton Police and Midland County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a foray back into teaching with an at-risk youth program.